


Finding Clarity

by flybynight



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Divorce, Romance, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-14 00:37:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9148942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flybynight/pseuds/flybynight
Summary: In the wake of a divorce, Alfred comes to terms with himself while holding onto the most important person in his life-- and he finds something else in the process.





	

**Author's Note:**

> rating: M (for smut)  
> pairing: usuk (with past USFem!France)  
> notes: A little story I've been working on for way too long, so happy to say I finally finished it with help from my dear friend avalonroses (READ HER STUFF THO). c: Single Parent AUs are new territory for me but I love reading them so much so I thought I'd try my hand at writing one. This is chock full of cliches, but please enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Contrary to popular belief among his friends, Alfred didn't get divorced because of his sexuality.

He and Claire had split because she hadn't been as ready to settle down as once thought, and somewhere along the way he realized he had been completely ready to settle down, just not with  _ her _ . It was surprisingly easy to admit this to each other about five years into their marriage, and even with the house they'd put the down payment on together and the many plans and dreams they'd built around each other, the split was inevitable. Alfred thanked his lucky stars every day that it had at least been perfectly amicable, and they were still best friends. There was some hurt and tears, naturally, but they'd bonded in a way that meant more than just a piece of paper and a change of last names. It also helped that they had one of the very best things in common:

Their daughter, Madeline.

She was their freckled and rosy cheeked little angel with her blonde hair always in pigtails and missing her two front teeth, always smiling and laughing and peering up at them with her big violet eyes. She was curious, even as shy as she was, friendly but quiet, achingly sweet while being a little reserved. Claire was waiting for her to blossom into the perpetual social butterfly that the both of them had been, but Alfred wasn't particular about that. As far as he was concerned, she could hold his hand and hide behind his knees around strangers for however long she wanted.

When the matter of custody had come about, both had wanted joint custody, but with his ex-wife's career in mind (and the fact that it kept her several thousand miles away, and occasionally she'd return to her girlhood home in France for some periods of time), it made sense to give preference to the father so as not to tear their little girl away from her family in the area. She visited often at least. And that was how Alfred came to be a single father at 31, with a beautiful little girl who made everything right in his world.

Well, mostly. There was still the fact that he was alone, and the aforementioned revelation that he was perhaps not as straight as he had once believed. Certainly he'd always been curious, and well, perhaps he'd experimented a little in college. He'd convinced himself it was perfectly normal and healthy and not at all worth considering seriously-- until about a year or two into his marriage, which turned out to be rather unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on who was asking) timing. While a pretty lady could still turn his head and capture his gaze, he found himself seriously admiring the face of the new guy in the accounting department at his office, the legs on the nice fellow who delivered their mail everyday, and the really nice arms on the bartender at his favorite bar.

Claire hadn't even been surprised. His friends claimed-- the  _ liars-- _ to have known all along. Whatever the case, Alfred had  _ finally _ come to terms with the fact that he liked women and men, that it had never been a phase, and thus it didn't matter who should come along next, only that he did wish for it like anybody else. Because while Madeline was very much the light of his life, there were moments he lay in bed at night and missed having someone to wrap his arms around. Granted, Madeline would crawl into bed with him after particularly terrifying nightmares, but obviously that was no where near the same thing.

And so it was suggested to him that he start dating. The very thought of it made him nervous, certainly nothing like the confident heartbreaker he'd been in college. Putting himself in such a vulnerable position with another person again, on top of the fact that he had Maddie to think about, there was a lot to consider. He couldn't just date  _ anyone _ . And no matter how attractive the mailman and the accountant and the bartender were, the thought of asking another man out on a date just didn't seem to come as easily as he thought it would.

He didn't push it. Surely, surely the right person would come along eventually, right? That's what he told himself that morning, which was just like all the other mornings, except the only difference was that today was Maddie's first day of kindergarten. She was more excited about it than he was, and while Alfred could share in her enthusiasm, there was still that part of him that didn't want to let go for anything.

But he bit back his reluctance, dressing her in her favorite pair of strawberry overalls and pink rubber rain boots (he could not for the life of him convince her that they were only supposed to be worn when it was actually  _ raining _ outside, but who cared, he wasn't going to stifle her creative style!). He even managed to braid her pigtails properly, wishing he could figure out how to thread ribbons through them like Claire used to without making her look ridiculous. But as it was, it was enough.

Madeline waited patiently with her little hands clutching the straps of her new backpack--"just like the big kids all have!" she'd exclaimed when he'd taken her to the store to pick one out-- covered in unicorns and rainbows. Alfred checked to make sure they had everything, snatching up his briefcase and making sure he hadn't left the pancake griddle on again like last time.

"Daddy, how many kids will be there?" she chirped as he ushered her out the door and into the car, buckling her up carefully in her car seat.

"Dunno, honey, probably quite a few. I'm sure you'll make lots of new friends!" he answered, smiling widely, which she returned. Shy as she was, she still liked meeting new people, and he was sure the other kids would adore her. And if they didn't, well, that just meant that the other kids  _ sucked _ and he'd have to find a better place for her to attend.

The drive was short, and blessedly very close to his place of work. He helped her out, smiling when she immediately took his hand and clutched it tightly, despite looking curiously over the building and at all the other children noisily filing into it with their own parents in tow. It was a small, friendly looking place with lots of flowers and cute drawings of animals covering the windows.

Alfred led her inside, where they were immediately greeted by a pretty brunette with a sweet smile.

"Hello there, I'm Michelle! Here to enroll your little girl?" she asked, looking down at Madeline kindly, who peeked up at her from Alfred's side.

"Actually, she's already enrolled, today's her first day! Her name is Madeline Jones, and I'm her father. I came in and filled out the paperwork a few weeks ago."

She flipped through a clipboard, looking over a list before making a quiet 'aha!' and nodding.

"Looks like Madeline's all set to go! Her class placement is this way, you're free to stay for a bit and watch!"

Alfred let out a quiet breath of relief at that.

She led them down the hall and past the other classrooms, all of which were named after flowers. Madeline's was 'Sunflower', which he thought was rather fitting for her. Inside there was a moderately sized group of children already sitting in a circle with the teacher and playing a game. Their guide knelt down beside Madeline, holding out her hand.

"Would you like to go play too, Madeline?" she asked.

Maddie looked uncertain. Alfred knelt down too, brushing a hand through her bangs. "It's okay sweetheart, it'll be fun! Don't you want to go play?"

At first she looked as though she might cry, which Alfred wasn't sure he could handle-- He was pretty sure he'd start crying too, which would be completely embarrassing. But she didn't, and instead, hesitantly let go of him and reached for the guide. He let out a rush of breath as he watched her being led over to the group, the teacher excitedly welcoming her into the circle and introducing her to the other children.

He hung in back with the other parents for a few moments, knowing he had enough to time to watch for at least a little bit, just to make sure she didn't come running for him again (no matter how much he secretly wanted that to happen). But after a few moments of play, she was positively beaming, and Alfred had to be thankful for that. Some of the other children didn't look quite as willing to be there, a few turning to look tearfully back at their parents as though they were being abandoned.

One little boy with blonde hair and rather thick eyebrows was sitting at the edge of the group with his arms folded and a pout on his face. The teacher tried several times to engage him, only to have him shake his head vehemently while looking as though he wanted to cry, but refused to. It made Alfred snort a bit.

"Oh god, come on, Peter..." he heard someone mumble beside him.

He turned his head to see a slim blonde man with a surprisingly similar pair of eyebrows, eyeing the little boy as well and looking for all the world rather embarrassed. Alfred smiled slightly.

"That one's yours, huh?"

The man blinked, looking towards him with a slight blush that made Alfred's grin widen a bit. It was kind of cute. No, scratch that, it was  _ really  _ cute. In fact, the guy was just really cute all around. He had a young face, but the way he held himself spoke of someone rather mature. His hair was a bit messy, but the rest of him was properly clean and pressed in a nice looking blazer and slacks.

"Oh, well, in a way, I suppose. He's actually my nephew. He's rather spoiled, and were he mine he certainly wouldn't act that way," the man muttered, and that's when Alfred noticed the accent. English, faint enough to blend in, but still enough to perk his interest.

"I'm just escorting him today, his mother is ill and his father is off doing god knows what-- oh, my apologies, going off on a tangent," the man said sheepishly before going quiet. Alfred couldn't have that.

"Well, don't worry, I'm sure he'll get used to it! It's only the first day."

The man nodded, looking towards the group again. All the children were paired off by one of the aides. The teacher looked about ready to give up on Peter, glancing around at the other children, and noticing that Madeline had yet to pair off, and she and Peter were the only two left. Alfred frowned a bit, not liking the feeling of his daughter being the odd one out... but what could he do?

The teacher looked back at Peter, kneeling down next to him and murmuring something. The little boy shook his head with another pout, but then stopped when she pointed over to Madeline across the room, looking at the game and obviously wanting to participate. Peter looked at her for a long moment.

And then, miraculously, he stood up. Even the teacher looked confused as the little boy scrubbed furiously at his eyes and then marched right over to Madeline, looking expectant. Madeline looked at him curiously, but gave him one of her sweet, butter-melting smiles (lord knew he'd been on the receiving end of those since the day she was born), which Peter actually  _ returned _ . And then the game was starting.

"Well I'll be..." the man beside him said softly, and Alfred looked at him again, seeing a slight smile on his face. "I don't think I've seen him smile like that in ages."

Alfred chuckled. "My little girl seems to have that effect on people..."

"Oh, she's yours? She's quite darling," the man said.

"Yeah, I know," he murmured, looking over at her fondly.

They watched in silence for a few moments, until Alfred looked at his watch and remembered he needed to actually get to work. Most of the other parents were making moves to do the same, some of them practically sneaking back out the door. Alfred watched Madeline on his way out, wondering if she'd turn to look for him, but she didn't, instead more intent on holding Peter's hand as they listened to the teacher tell a story, giggling and clapping with the rest.

Alfred felt a pang of sadness even as he was happy to see her so happy. This was only the beginning after all. Eventually it would be first grade, then middle school, then high school... And college? He really wasn't ready to go there just yet.

The man he'd been speaking to happened to walk out at the same time he did, and Alfred awkwardly kept in step with him as they walked outside. He tried to think of something to say, at least introduce himself. He didn't know why he suddenly felt so strange to make communication with someone, normally he couldn't shut up, even around strangers.

At the very least, it seemed the man looked a little awkward himself. He paused just outside the door, looking as though he meant to say something as well, before clearing his throat.

"Well. Here's to hoping the little ones do well today," he said, offering a small smile. Alfred couldn't help but find it beyond charming. He returned his smile with a large grin of his own, offering his hand.

"Same! Ah, my name's Alfred, by the way. Alfred Jones," he quickly slipped in his name.

"Arthur Kirkland."

_ Arthur _ . A distinguished sounding name for a distinguished looking guy. It suited him. Alfred was quickly beginning to like everything about him, and it made him want to know more. Which was probably a little creepy, but he figured as long as he kept it to himself, it wasn't that bad, right?

"Cool. It's nice to meet you."

Arthur nodded, then shifted, looking away a bit. "Well. I suppose I should be going then. Work and all that."

"Oh, yeah, ah. Well it was nice to meet you! I'll see you around!"

He not only felt like a silly teenager, but apparently he'd taken to sounding like one too. Arthur didn't seem to mind though, at least... Alfred decided to take it as a good sign when Arthur smiled.

"Yes, see you."

He came back after work to find out that Madeline's first day was an absolute success. She talked about it the whole car ride home and at the dinner table. Alfred listened with rapt attention, 'ooh'ing and 'ahh'ing when appropriate, and then dialed Claire's number so she could relay to her mother all the fantastic details. He could hear his ex over the phone making enthusiastic affirmations in French, while Alfred watched his daughter's face light up.

After he tucked her in for bed and finally crawled into his own, he thought back on Arthur Kirkland, and suddenly remembered what it felt like to be excited and nervous all at once.

\---

From then on, Alfred would see Arthur every morning dropping off Peter. As luck would have it, it appeared Peter and Maddie got along really well, as she'd always greet him, and they would rush off to join the herd of children together once they were free to do so. Alfred liked to think of it as a sign that perhaps he should get closer to Peter's uncle, because at least now they had at least one thing in common, for sure.

That was all easier said than done of course. He always managed to make polite small talk (despite the fact that it made him feel ridiculous), and Arthur always obliged him, but they never really made it past vague remarks on the weather. It shouldn't have been so difficult to ask someone out for coffee or dinner and a movie. Not even four years ago, he would have asked and not had two thoughts about it.

But that was then, and this was now. He was a "grown up" now, a divorced, single parent. That didn't exactly scream appealing to most people. He would think on it as he drove to the school, wondering what he should say, and most importantly,  _ how _ to say it. And by the time they would arrive, he'd forget all over again once he kissed Maddie goodbye and saw Arthur, who always seemed to be trying to wrangle Peter out of his car without any fuss (there was always fuss, unfortunately, at least until Peter saw Madeline). Then Arthur would give him this adorably exasperated look and then greet him with a smile that made Alfred's chest hurt a bit with how much he had grown to like the other man. Maybe it was just a silly crush, but even so, he wanted to make the right impression.

A whole two months had gone by like this, and eventually Alfred's friends began to notice. It wasn't so much that Alfred really talked about it, but after turning down a few blind date offers and other advice, they all became rather suspicious.

"So did you find somebody already and you're just holding out on us?" one of them asked as they were sitting around the table at the pub one night. Claire was in town again that week visiting, and off spoiling Madeline on a shopping trip.

Alfred looked appropriately scandalized and embarrassed. "What are you talking about? I'm not holding out..."

He was very much holding out. What kind of loser crushed as hard as he did on some guy they only ever said a few words to every morning? A guy that he didn't even know was gay or not, which ultimately would make all the difference, wouldn't it? Sure, Alfred had wondered a few times... but to make the mistake and find out otherwise wasn't something he'd ever live down.

"Is it a man or a woman?"

Alfred held his tongue.

"It's a dude, isn't it. Aww yes, finally coming out of the closet then, Al?"

"It's about time, we were worried you'd made camp in there even after we all knew you preferred the D."

"Is he cute? I bet he's cute. Do you have a type?"

Alfred wasn't sure why he bothered staying in touch with the people he called friends. They were kind of jerks.

"And you are an idiot," Claire said to him later on that night around the coffee table, sipping at her wine that she couldn't live without and giving him a disapproving look over the rim of her glass. "You are in love with someone, aren't you?"

Alfred wanted to slam his head into the table. Apparently he was  _ too _ obvious, if his ex-wife who didn't even  _ live there  _ could tell something was up. He awkwardly handled his coffee mug that was filled with water, he'd had too much booze while trying to convince his friends that nothing was wrong with him, and 'no, fuck off you guys, I'm not telling you anything'.

But he never could hide anything from Claire.

"It's just some guy who brings his nephew to Maddie's school, that's all..."

"'Some guy'? My, my, Alfie."

"All right, I'm gay, I get it! I didn't think this was news to anyone anymore!"

Claire laughed musically and shook her head. "Tell me about him?"

And this was why he was embarrassed to begin with, knowing that he didn't know much about Arthur at all. He knew the other worked close by as well, that he apparently worked out or played sports (Alfred had seen a gym bag and a well-worn pair of sneakers in the backseat while passing his car-- no he hadn't been looking in the windows like a creeper, not at all), that he wore glasses sometimes, as Alfred had seen him wear them once or twice, that he wasn't interested in American football as he always answered no about 'watching the game last night' but he preferred soccer.

It really wasn't much to go on, but Claire was looking at him as though he'd sprouted another head by the time he finished.

"The way you talk about him, I would think you were already dating."

Alfred spluttered and gripped his mug tighter.

"Your eyes light up the way I haven't seen in a long time. Tell me again why you haven't asked him out?"

"I don't know!"

"You are pining."

"I am not!"

"You are an idiot."

"...So you've said."

He should have been suspicious then, as the very next morning Claire offered to take Maddie to school. Alfred wanted to protest, but did not have a very good reason for doing so beyond the obvious. He ignored the sly look she gave him on the way out and instead packed his own things and drove to work feeling pathetic and like something was already missing from his day, as he hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye to his daughter properly.

It was around lunchtime that he received a text from Claire, and he could almost hear the smugness as he read it.

_ I got you a date! You can thank me later, cher _ .  _ xoxo _

He nearly dropped his phone into his bowl of microwaved soup.

\---

Claire left at the end of the week, thankfully before the 'date' she had arranged. He knew she had probably wanted to stick around to find out how well it went, and he was determined not to tell her a damned thing right away. It was only coffee anyway.

He had to know exactly how in the world she had managed it, how she had even known that the other man would be willing and receptive to going on a date with another guy. All she had said was that the only way Arthur could have been more obvious would have been to wear a sign around his neck. Alfred wasn't sure how to argue against that, so he didn't.

Madeline, who despite not knowing anything of her father's ridiculous romantic woes, seemed to be in on it somehow. She watched him fix his shirt in the mirror, sitting upon his bed and swinging her legs back and forth while clutching her little white teddy bear. When Alfred turned around with a flourish to ask her opinion, she giggled and told him he looked " _ merveilleux _ ", which he considered the best compliment he could ever receive from anyone.

When he dropped her off at a friend's house to play for the afternoon, she said "Good luck today, daddy!", and he was going to have to write a long, threatening letter to Claire when he had the chance to tell her to stop corrupting their angel. She  _ really  _ didn't need to know her daddy was trying to get laid.

He arrived at the coffee shop five minutes early, and it was good that he did so, as it seemed Arthur had come early as well, already sitting in a booth. He was wearing more casual clothing than Alfred was used to seeing him in, though still clean cut and proper, adorably stuffy. Alfred felt almost like a cad even in his nicest jeans and button-down.

"Ah, hey Arthur, thanks for meeting me here," he said with a smile as he slipped into the booth. Arthur returned it, and already the butterflies were threatening to choke him. "Sorry about... ah... my friend Claire..."

"Your ex-wife," Arthur said, with a bit of a smirk. "It's perfectly all right."

Alfred flushed miserably from embarrassment. "God, do I even want to know what and how much she said to you?"

"Not very much, I promise you. Though I am still rather surprised you didn't ask me yourself."

Alfred felt his mouth fall open a bit, but he caught himself. "You were expecting me to?"

"Well, I had hoped..."

There was a pause, and then Arthur blushed, just like he had on that first day. Alfred felt his own face begin to heat, mind working as he tried to process the fact that Arthur had actually  _ wanted _ him to ask him out. What even were the odds? Something seemed to click, and he knew that he definitely wanted to find out more, but he didn't want to intimidate the other so soon.

"Let's order, yeah? What are you having?" he asked, smiling kindly, reassuringly.

Arthur looked at him for a moment before laughing a bit. "Tea will be fine, thank you."

Once they'd gotten their drinks, they sat and chatted, thankfully moving on rather quickly from blander topics to more interesting territory-- at least more interesting to Alfred.

"So how did you know that I..."

"How did I know that you were interested?" Arthur finished for him, blessedly intelligent man that he was. Alfred felt pathetic, being unable to string a simple sentence together. "Honestly, I didn't. As I said, it was more that I had hoped that was your inclination. You were always so kind and attentive to me, and I must admit it made me wonder. Naturally I didn't want to assume anything and react before I was certain."

Alfred nodded slowly, releasing a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"After all, you had a child, and well... For all that I knew, perhaps you had a wife or a girlfriend at home, despite not mentioning it."

Alfred actually laughed then. "Yeah, don't blame you for wondering. I gotta say, I wasn't sure what to think of you either. I mean, I wasn't even sure if you liked me at all, or if you thought I was some weirdo who kept trying to ask you about the weather."

Arthur paused, a small smile playing on his lips. He took a long sip of his tea before setting the cup down carefully.

"So you didn't find it strange at all that I told you that first day that I was only dropping off Peter as a favor to my brother and his wife... and yet I kept returning every day after?"

Alfred floundered a bit. "No? I just thought that-- So then-- you've liked me since...?"

Arthur's blush and the way he settled back into his seat ever so slightly were all the answer Alfred needed. He smiled widely and warmly, in a way he hadn't done for anyone but Madeline in such a long time.

"Me too, Arthur."

\---

Things sort of fell into place after that. Sort of. It was rather difficult, at first, to take Arthur out on dates and things of that sort, and certainly not for lack of trying. It was a matter of not only finding time outside of both their already busy work schedules, but also the fact that Madeline was pretty much Alfred's life, and as much as he already liked Arthur, that wasn't about to change.

At best he was able to let her have playdates with her friends from school, but he didn't always want to feel like he was pawning her off on someone else or neglecting her. So more often than not, their dates would consist of Arthur coming over to his house for dinner, which Arthur did not seem to mind at all, and it made Alfred extremely grateful that the other was so understanding.

It also helped that he seemed to adore Madeline, and she was fairly crazy about him too, which made him rather perfect in Alfred's eyes. After all, if his daughter didn't like someone, Alfred sure as hell didn't like them either. But that rarely happened anyway. It was just very fortunate that Arthur made himself so easy to like. And after three months of seeing each other, he had practically become part of the family.

"...And so, all the fairies gathered at the banquet, making a great ruckus in the glade. The huntsman had never seen such a sight before, such color and clamor!"

Alfred could see them from the kitchen as he cooked one evening, almost a typical Friday night for them anymore. He and Arthur took turns with preparing dinner usually, though even when it was Arthur's turn, he always insisted on helping because he liked to watch Arthur cook (Arthur made anything look unfairly sexy). Madeline would come in as well and beg to help, which always made things feel scarily domestic and comfortable.

Tonight however, it was Alfred's "turn" and he had shooed them both out, so Arthur was busy reading a book to Madeline, who sat on his lap and stared up at him through her glasses, eyes wide and mouth open in awe.

"Have you ever seen a fairy banquet, Mr. Kirkland?" she asked curiously.

Alfred watched Arthur smile gently. "Only once before, when I was very young. Perhaps about your age. Fairies are very secretive you know, they don't like to let themselves be seen... But oh, it was quite a sight."

Madeline looked positively floored at the prospect, and Alfred had to snicker behind his hand a bit until he heard her respond.

"Daddy says fairies aren't real though..." she sounded rather heartbroken about it, and suddenly never before had he felt like more of a jerk.

Arthur seemed to pause, and Alfred waited, wondering what the other would say.

"Well... your daddy has simply never seen one, dear. The fairies like it better that way, you know."

Madeline started to nod.

"Besides, they only show themselves to those they consider most intelligent-- so even if your father has not, I'm quite sure you'll meet one, for certain."

"Hey!" Alfred finally piped in, knowing  _ exactly _ what the other had meant by that remark. As wonderful as Arthur was, something else he'd learned about him was that he was kind of a smartass. Well, 'kind of' was a bit of an understatement. He shook a grease slicked spatula in Arthur's direction, knowing he could see him from the kitchen as well, but the other man only smiled at him and turned back to Madeline, continuing with the story.

They had dinner, which was always a calm and happy affair. Arthur would tell more of his own stories, to which Madeline would listen intently with her fork hanging from her mouth. Then Alfred would tell his terrible jokes and Madeline would laugh and giggle while Arthur watched them quietly with an expression that Alfred liked to believe was true fondness.

After the meal he chased his daughter up the stairs to change her into her pjs, though he knew he wouldn't be able to get her to sleep yet. They came back down for ice cream and to watch Disney movies until Madeline was nearly passed out in Alfred's lap. He carried her back upstairs, and this time Arthur followed him quietly, a gentle hand on his arm.

Arthur carefully removed her glasses and placed them to the side as Alfred tucked her in, brushing a kiss across her forehead and whispering "sweet dreams, sweetheart" before pulling away. They both watched her sleep for a few moments before sneaking out as quiet as could be until they were back downstairs and on the couch again.

And now came the part that also hadn't changed since they started seeing each other: what to do next. Normally Arthur would stay for a little while longer, just cuddling with him in front of the TV or talking quietly about anything and everything, and then he would drive home despite Alfred's insistence that he could definitely stay the night if he wished-- on the couch or in Alfred's bed, he wasn't picky, though naturally the latter was preferred.

Alfred enjoyed the cuddling and talking, that much was certain. Though part of him couldn't help wondering if they'd ever get beyond that, that part of him that was still young and virile enough to know it had been a  _ long _ time since he'd been with someone. At the very least he was glad they were adult enough to have discussed such things. Somewhat. He knew that Arthur hadn't really had any partners recently either-- Alfred shamefully took some comfort in that, having never been with another man beyond a lot of heavy petting.

And that was the stage they had been at since the beginning, having not quite gone beyond some heated kissing, and seeing as how tonight had gone even better than normal, he couldn't help but wonder if maybe... maybe. 

"So," he began, stretching out his arm across the back of the couch in a  _ clear _ invitation. "You, uh, ready to call it a night?"

Arthur was sitting beside him, eyes trained on the ending of Beauty and Beast with a slight smile on his face. "Are you kicking me out?"

"What? No!" Alfred started, and then nudged the other playfully with his knee when Arthur just grinned at him.

"Oh good then. I was rather hoping you'd allow me to intrude upon you a little longer."

There was a pause as Alfred wondered what that meant entirely. He was about to say that Arthur could "intrude" all over him in any kind of way he wanted to, but he didn't want to be crass-- not with Arthur. But it didn't matter, as Arthur leaned into him, their sides pressed together and the other man's hand on his hip.

Alfred stared at it. Arthur was looking back at the television, though Alfred could tell he wasn't really watching anymore. He couldn't have been, not with the way that aforementioned hand was steadily creeping up his thigh. He placed his own hand on top of Arthur's, and he watched the other man's face as he hesitated, no doubt thinking he had gone too far perhaps. But Alfred promptly laced their fingers and slid the hand up higher. Arthur inhaled sharply, turning to look at him fully now.

"Do you wanna stay the night?" Alfred asked, much more softly than before, almost husky. He hoped his underused bedroom voice didn't sound too hokey, but the subtle intake of breath from Arthur and the way he lowered his lashes made him believe it had done what it was meant to do.

"If you're willing to have me," Arthur murmured back, and if that wasn't an invitation, then nothing was. Alfred took it, closing the short distance to kiss the other man sensually, feeling himself shiver with delight when Arthur's hands immediately found their way into his hair, fingers sliding through and coaxing him closer.

The kiss had started out "innocently" enough before leading into more familiar territory between them. The only real difference now was that below the waist no longer felt off limits. Not that it had been before, but somehow they'd just always stopped there. Arthur must have always felt the same way he did-- if they went any further, the chances of them stopping were pretty damn slim. To make sure he wasn't reading the atmosphere wrong, Alfred tentatively slid his hand down to the small of Arthur's back before rounding over the curve of his perfect ass that Alfred wasn't ashamed to admit, felt as good as it had always looked to him.

Arthur didn't slow, didn't even hesitate. In fact, he bucked up against him instead, causing their hips to grind together, and Alfred suddenly realized he was stupidly hard and aroused already. Arthur looked up at him briefly, knowingly, smiling with kiss-bruised lips.

"Alfred, don't you think we should move to the bedroom?" he asked, cupping Alfred's face. The way he was speaking was making it harder for Alfred to think or even make out what he was saying. Low, sultry, and inviting-- all things Arthur hadn't completely shown to him, and now that he was, Alfred desperately wanted more of it.

"Yeah, in a minute," he said, distractedly, as he dove in for another kiss that Arthur could do nothing else but return, and in spades.

Clothing was tugged at, pulled, until before he knew it, his shirt was open and hanging down to his elbows and Arthur had nearly lost his pants. They hadn't quite made it all the way due to Alfred being much too busy between his boyfriend's legs, holding Arthur's erection in one hand and stroking as he kissed his way down the other's torso. Arthur dug socked toes into the cushions as he arched with a pleased gasp, urging Alfred quietly to get on with it, to give him what he wanted. Alfred looked up at him through his lashes and smirked as he hovered over the other man's cock, sticking out his tongue to give the head a soft lick.

And that was when he heard it.

"Daddy?"

With a cry, Arthur shoved Alfred away from him, and Alfred had jumped at the same time, sending himself crashing to the floor. Arthur was frantically pulling his pants up and Alfred thankfully hadn't even gotten his own open yet, though he tugged his shirt closed in a fist as he looked up and towards the stairs where Madeline stood, all sleepy and sweet in her nightgown and clutching her bear, eyes half open.

He panicked.

"M-Maddie, honey, what are you doing up?" he said, fumbling to stand and catch his breath. He glanced briefly at Arthur, who was staring up at him in complete mortification.

"I'm thirsty..." the little girl murmured, coming down the rest of the way from where she'd been standing. She seemed wholly unaware that anything was amiss, walking right up to Alfred and reaching for his hand. "Can I have a glass of water, daddy?" 

"Of-- Of course you can, Maddie!" Alfred said through loud laughter, then cleared his throat, squeezing her fingers gently in his grasp. The very  _ last _ thing he wanted was to scar his daughter for life with something like this, as well as effectively ruin any chances he had with getting closer to Arthur. He couldn't even look at the man just then, simply shuffling Madeline into the kitchen to retrieve her favorite little blue cup, fill it with water, before sending her back up the stairs to her room. Alfred didn't start breathing properly again until he heard her door close.

Arthur was right where he'd left him, but sadly, redressed and arms folded as he watched him, a healthy flush still on his cheeks. Alfred was already set to grovel, falling to his knees in front of the sofa right in front of him. 

"I am  _ so _ sorry _ ,  _ I didn't think--"

"No, you didn't," Arthur replied, sounding irritable. Alfred felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. 

"I asked you to move to the bedroom. What would you have done if she-- if she'd really seen us?"

Alfred swallowed thickly. "I-- I swear, if I'd known-- You're right, I should have listened to you. Babe, I'm sorry..." 

The other man didn't say anything for a long moment, and Alfred thought perhaps he'd fucked up for good. There was no way Arthur was going to want to be with someone who thought it was fine and dandy to screw around on the living room couch when one's child could walk in at any moment. At least, that was how it would seem. Arthur was embarrassed, and it was all his fault. He started to get up, awkwardness and shame written across his face. The least he could do was walk Arthur to do the door and pray he wouldn't delete his number after this. 

"Oh stop looking at me like that," Arthur suddenly snapped, and Alfred looked up to see his boyfriend smiling with wry exasperation. 

Alfred floundered a bit. "Aren't... aren't you mad?" 

"I'm not  _ mad _ , I'm just-- that was a bit much. But... I'm not angry with you."\

It was as if lightening had struck him, and instantly Alfred was up and sitting on the couch next to him, eagerly taking his hands. His relief was palpable. Arthur flushed darker, shaking his head at him as if he was still upset, but he allowed the touches, looking exceedingly shy. 

"So then... should we...?" Alfred was already leaning in, hoping for another kiss. 

"No," Arthur replied, and then reached up to place soft fingers against his lips. "I think perhaps it's better if I head home now." 

_ Fuck! _ Alfred wanted to kick himself.

"Can I call you tomorrow?" Alfred said, trying desperately not to beg or whine, no matter how badly he wanted to. God, Arthur just looked so gorgeous, he could still hear his little moans when Alfred had been ready to do his very worst (read: his very  _ best _ ). He had lost it, and the mood had been ruined because of his idiocy. But Arthur didn't give him much time to sulk on it just then, as he leaned up, and pressed a chaste, but lingering kiss to his lips that made him fall in love with him all over again. He was worth the wait. Absolutely worth the wait.

Arthur pulled back slowly, eyes glittering. "Of course. We'll plan another night soon. ...And perhaps I'll finally get to see the rest of your house." 

Arthur had already seen  _ most _ of the house, of course.

Alfred smiled knowingly, stupidly, and nodded. 

\--

Another night wouldn't be for at least another week later, and perhaps the longest week of his life. He tried to distract himself with work and with taking care of Maddie, who thankfully still showed no signs of knowing or even remembering what had happened that night. Blissfully unaware but still excited about the prospect of seeing "Mr. Kirkland" again soon. Meanwhile, Alfred was  _ also  _ excited-- as was his libido, which now that it had been stirred awake, would not leave him be with thoughts about what he wanted to do with Arthur. 

It took a phenomenal amount of patience and even some introspection to get him through until the weekend, and by then he'd already planned exactly how he wanted their next date to go. A friend of his from work had agreed to watch Maddie for the night, which was great because for one, Madeline knew her and got along very well with her kids. Two, the girl had always wanted to have a sleepover with friends, and he thought this to be an excellent opportunity. He even bought her new pajamas and blankets to take with her. 

Alfred, for his part, would drop her off there for the night, then take Arthur to dinner somewhere nice. Romantic even. He still knew of a few places, thank god. Afterwards, he would bring Arthur back to his place, and then... if everything went just right... 

He was going to  _ rock  _ Arthur's world and win back some of that confidence in himself that he missed. 

That was the plan that he repeated to himself, over and over, up until he had Maddie dressed, packed, and all ready to go Saturday evening. They were both in great spirits, and Alfred felt sharp and on top of his game. He had on his nicest suit, knowing that he looked damned good. He hadn't found the time yet to start going to the gym like he used to, but everything still fit and he could say that he hadn't lost his natural attractiveness just yet. He liked to think he was less full of himself too-- he was only worried about this stuff because impressing Arthur was all he wanted to do. 

They were in the car, about an hour before Alfred had promised to pick Arthur up from his place. His coworker lived out of the way, but it would be easy enough to circle around and pick up his boyfriend in no time as long as traffic was decent. So far, so good. 

Maddie was singing along to a song on radio while Alfred tapped the steering wheel, happy and giddy as he drove along. There was a crackle of lightning across the sky just as they turned onto the highway. 

"Daddy! Is it going to rain?" 

"Ah, looks like it, sweetheart," Alfred said, barely paying it any mind. A little rain wasn't going to kill his mood. But just as the first drops of it plunked against the windshield, his phone buzzed loudly from the passengers seat. He reduced his speed, careful to look about and make sure he wasn't being trailed by a cop, before he answered the call and deftly put it on speaker. 

"Yeah, this is Alfred!" 

_ "Alfred? Oh sorry, I texted you but you didn't answer!"  _

It was his coworker, Anise. He sat up straighter in his seat. "Yeah, what's up? We're on our way!" 

He grinned at Madeline from the rear view mirror, who smiled widely back at him. 

_ "Oh no... really? Sorry Al, I texted you to tell you that we can do it tonight! Samantha caught a bug at school and she's already given it to Katie too. They're both sick and in bed. I hope you guys didn't drive too far!" _

What. 

Alfred blinked rapidly, keeping his eyes on the road, but he floundered a bit as the realization of what she was saying sank in. 

"Er, well, that's cool! No, we're not that far out--"

Which was a lie. They were only about 10 more minutes from her house, but about 40 from his own and Arthur's place. Shit. What was he going to do now? Anise sounded relieved on her end, however, and then promptly hung up just as Alfred heard the sound of a child coughing loudly in the background. Sighing, he looked around for a sign in the hopes of finding the nearest exit that he could turn around on. 

"Man... I'm sorry Maddie, looks like you won't be able to play with Katie and Sam after all..." Alfred said morosely, feeling badly now. The likelihood of anyone else being able to take her for the night on such short notice was fairly slim as well. 

"That's okay, daddy," she responded. And bless her heart, even as she said it, he could hear the disappointment in her voice. Fuck. Well, his plans were going to have to change now. He would just have to take her home. There was no way he was going to be able to make that dinner reservation with Arthur tonight... but maybe Arthur would come over? 

That sounded lame as hell, but it would have to do. Maybe he could order fancy takeout for them from somewhere. But for right now, he was more intent on getting Maddie safely back. He found an exit soon enough and turned off on it before finding his way back onto the road from the opposite direction. No sooner had they begun making their way back, the rain started coming down in thick sheets. Alfred rolled his eyes, feeling it seemed pretty apt for the moment. He reached for his phone again in the hopes of calling Arthur to let him know the bad news.

"Daddy?" Madeline said from the backseat. 

"One second, honey," he replied quickly, fingers passing over the screen quickly to try and find his contacts. 

"Daddy, I just felt a bump--" 

"Maddie, just give me a secon--" 

All at once he suddenly felt the car rumbling beneath them. With a soft swear, he tossed the phone to the side as he gripped the steering wheel with both hands and tried to focus on what was happening. The road was slick from the rain, and for a moment his heart raced as he tried to keep control. The rumbling did not stop until he pulled the car over sharply, coming to a stop on the side of the road. 

They sat there in silence, and he could hear his daughter was terrified behind him. Alfred yanked off his seat belt and threw open the car door to get out to see what could have possibly happened. He didn't have to look long. 

A flat tire. A really bad one, at that. Had he not pulled over when he did, considering the conditions, things could have been much worse. But somehow still, just looking at it made Alfred's fists clench. Especially when he remembered that he didn't have any spares with him.  

_ Fuck! _

He got back into the car, for a moment unmindful of how angry he was as he slammed the door back closed. His favorite awesome suit was soaked now from the rain, he was sitting on the side of the highway with a flat tire, far from home. Arthur was probably wondering where the hell he was. This was  _ not _ where he expected his evening to go. He was frustrated. Irritable. And he forgot himself as he heard Maddie call for him again. 

" _ What, _ Maddie!" he barked, and then immediately felt like a piece of shit for it. Alfred had never raised his voice to his daughter.  _ Ever _ . Especially not in situations like this. She hadn't done anything to deserve his ire.

The feeling only got worse when he heard her sniffle, and he immediately twisted in his seat to see fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. Alfred had never hated himself more in that moment. 

"Baby, hey-- hey, sweetie don't cry. Daddy didn't mean to yell," he said, his own voice shaking with the effort of not crying himself. Somehow this was worse than everything else combined. He was such an _ass_. Madeline grabbed for his hand when he reached out to her, and he smiled a watery smile at her. 

"Why don't you come sit up front with daddy while he tries to figure out what to do, okay? We're gonna call for help and everything's gonna be just fine. I promise." 

He helped bring her up to the front seat, and she squirmed a bit before crawling across the middle to cling to him anyway. Alfred hugged her tightly and kissed her hair and murmured a few more apologies. He'd never been so thankful for his little angel than he was now. Especially knowing that she hadn't been hurt because of his carelessness. They were both okay. A string of bad luck didn't mean anything. 

After stroking her hair for a few minutes, he awkwardly leaned down to retrieve his phone, trying not to jostle her in the process. 

"Who are you going to call, daddy...?" Madeline asked, shyly. As if afraid he would yell again. Alfred inwardly winced and hugged her tighter. 

"I'm gonna call Arthur, sweetie."

"Mr. Kirkland will know what to do!"

Alfred couldn't help the little chuckle at that. "Yeah, yeah he will."

Glad that his phone still had some charge, he dialed Arthur's number, then waited with bated breath for the other to answer. After two rings, he picked up. 

_ "Alfred, you're late. Did you fall asleep in the shower again?" _

Arthur's wry voice and dry wit felt almost like a balm to his soul. It was so good to hear him, he actually shook a little as he held the phone. It also didn't sound like the man was angry. At least not yet. He hoped Arthur wouldn't be mad. 

"Yeah, I know babe, sorry. We had a little setback..."

The way he said it must have clued the other in, and Arthur was quiet for a moment before speaking again, this time with concern. 

_ "Is everything all right? Is Maddie okay?"  _

Alfred felt his heart ache. "Yeah... yeah, she's fine. It's just, my friend had to cancel tonight, and as we were driving back, my car got a flat and I don't have a spare, so--"

_ "In this weather?! Thank god you're okay. Where are you? I'll come and get you. Have you called a towing place?"  _

Alfred's eyes felt suspiciously wet, and it wasn't from the rain water still stuck in his hair and rolling down his face. Arthur continued to ask questions, but he could hear the other was rushing and already on his way out the door before they hung up. Alfred did call the nearest towing service, which managed to get there before Arthur did. Alfred gave them the details and they agreed to take care of it in the morning. 

Arthur pulled up not long after, and by then the rain had stopped. Madeline hopped out of the car and ran to Arthur, who immediately scooped her up, cooing at her as he approached Alfred still speaking with the tow driver. After helping them hook his car up, Alfred retrieved he and Maddie's things and stood back as he watched them pull it away. 

"You're coming home with me," Arthur said, tone leaving no room for argument. 

\--

Arthur's apartment was really nice. Alfred had only been there once, and for less than an hour, so he hadn't seen much of the place. There were bookshelves everywhere, vases with flowers, antique furniture that looked like it was straight out of some kind of period film. Madeline seemed awestruck by all of it, though by the time they'd arrived, she was already yawning and tired. 

"What a night," Alfred said, equally exhausted as he held onto his daughter's hand. 

"Indeed," Arthur replied as he shut the door, placing his keys to the side. "You both must be hungry."

Madeline perked up at the mention of food, and followed Arthur into the kitchen, but not before stopping to greet Arthur's pet cat-- a grumpy little Scottish Fold he'd never seen but had heard enough about. The cat seemed indignant about having company, but Alfred had to laugh when it sniffed at Madeline and then promptly attached itself to her. For all of Arthur telling him his cat wasn't fond of people, of course it made an exception for Madeline. Most things did. 

Arthur made them something light, and Alfred wolfed it right down, too hungry to even taste it. It felt good to have something hot after being out in the chill with wet clothes. Maddie only got halfway through her plate before she started to nod off, and Arthur immediately put down his fork. 

"Poor thing...Completely knackered. Today must have been very trying for her," he said, as Alfred got up to lift the girl into his arms. 

"That's for sure... I don't suppose you...."

"I do, come this way." 

Arthur showed him to an extra room-- a child's room, it looked to be. It was decorated minimally, but there was a nice little bed, and a few toys strewn about. 

"Peter sleeps here when he visits. Though not so much lately," Arthur explained, pulling back the covers and gesturing for Alfred to lay her down. Alfred was glad he'd packed her pajamas too, quickly changing her out of her clothes and making her nice and comfortable. He kissed her goodnight, but she didn't even stir. 

Afterwards, they returned to the kitchen. Arthur cleared away the table and stood at the sink, just chatting to him quietly while Alfred watched him, his heart feeling full of the other. Arthur was wearing nice clothes still, obviously having been prepared to go out with him that night. He had an apron on over it, and he just looked so natural, so  _ beautiful _ that Alfred couldn't tear his eyes away. 

"Would you like some coffee? It's only instant, but--"

Alfred stood up abruptly from the table and walked over to him, standing behind him to wrap his arms around his waist. Arthur went still, turning his head to look up at him with a soft upturn of his lips. 

"Is that a yes?" 

Alfred shook his head gently against the top of Arthur's head. 

"I think I love you, Arthur."

Arthur was silent. He closed his hands over Alfred's. 

"You think? Well that's not very reassuring..."

"I love you. Maddie loves you. You're beautiful. I just--"

"Alfred..." 

Arthur turned around in his embrace to look up at him better, and Alfred had to force himself not to look away. He was sure he looked crazy, his feelings were written so plainly on his face. Tonight hadn't gone the way it was supposed to, but this-- the words came so easily, even as he choked them out between his uncertainty and fear. He knew he had been wanting to say this, and for so long. He'd hoped it would have been under better circumstances, over expensive wine and food and perfect lighting. Not in the middle of Arthur's kitchen looking a rumpled, emotional mess. 

But it didn't seem to matter. 

"I want... I want you in my life. Always. With me and Maddie-- is that too much? Too soon? Am I-- fuck, I'm sorry, I just--"

"You have me," Arthur replied instantly, tearfully. Alfred was setting a record for making people cry today, but at least he could say this time it was in a good way. 

He couldn't help himself anymore. He leaned down to kiss him, feeling Arthur respond back with a surge of warm enthusiasm. His grip tightened, and he decided there was no way he was ever letting go of the other now. It was like finding himself, all over again. Like the day he realized who he really was, and embraced it. They continued to exchange breathless kisses, until Arthur was pressed so hard up against the sink he had to pause to push back a little. 

"Not here," he whispered, and Alfred (proudly) noted that his boyfriend's face was red and he looked a little starry-eyed. They had shared some deep kisses before already, but there was something profoundly different about just then. 

Arthur seemed to sense however that he was just barely hanging on, already diving in to capture his lips again, but he grinned and tapped Alfred on the mouth. 

"My room, Alfred. It's that way. What would we do if Madeline were to wake again?" 

"You're right, you're right," Alfred conceded, even if it was difficult to think. Not scarring his child for life was still pretty important though, so he allowed Arthur to lead him along by the proverbial dick out of the kitchen and to his room. 

Alfred nearly tripped over the cat once they were inside and closing the door. Arthur laughed musically at his clumsiness, making him feel like an excitable virgin on his first night with someone. It felt pitiful but also exhilarating, and he fell into the other man's waiting arms as they both crawled onto the bed. 

Clothes were hastily removed. Alfred wasn't taking any chances on not seeing  _ all _ of Arthur tonight, of mapping him out with his hands for the first time. He took great pleasure in Arthur's soft exhales and moans, tearing at Alfred's clothes in turn until they were both naked and rubbing against each other, their cocks sliding together as they moved. 

Alfred had never felt like this with another person. Frenzied, passionate, desperate. For all his experience, he'd still thought he had no idea what to do when the time came, but he found this was perfect. Arthur was perfect, all pale but rosy and lithe underneath him. 

"I'm ready for you," Arthur whispered after a moment, throwing his head back against his pillows as Alfred ground down hard into his hips. "I'm-- god, Alfred,  _ please-- _ " 

"Ready for me?" Alfred breathed, then grinned cockily as he reached down to part the other man's hips. He had no idea what to really expect, though as he drug his hand across Arthur's shaft, then down, circling fingers where he wanted most to explore, he pressed two digits inside and found that it gave way to his touch far more easily than he would have thought. It was even a little slick, softened already. His eyebrows shot up, and he noticed Arthur was suddenly looking just as cocky. 

"I was not lying to you when I said it's been a while... I thought it prudent to prepare... just in case..."

_ Holy shit,  _ was Arthur admitting he'd stretched himself beforehand? He tried to wrap his stuttering mind around that, imagining Arthur playing with himself in anticipation, anticipation for  _ Alfred _ . Since the day they'd met, the man was continually surprising him, over and over again. 

Alfred grit his teeth and leaned down to bite eagerly at Arthur's lips. "You're fucking  _ hot _ , you know that?" 

"Ah-- language, darling,  _ oh-- _ "

Alfred shoved his fingers in deeper, twisting them as he continued to kiss hotly at his mouth. "I can't help it, it's goddamn true." 

"Mnn, don't stop then."

So Alfred didn't. He wanted to see more. He wanted to feel more. As Arthur continued to beg at him softly, he flipped the other man, draping himself over his back and resuming kissing at his neck, his cock curving against Arthur's ass and fitting snugly there before he started to work his way down again. His fingers sunk into the flesh of his hips as he lifted him up, onto his knees. and Arthur found himself long enough to throw a filthy look at him over his shoulder. 

"Jesus, Arthur..." Alfred grunted, as he took hold of one cheek in each hand and parted them. He could definitely see where his lover had worked himself over. He was still a little red, his hole quivering in anticipation. Arthur seemed to want to speak again, perhaps tell him where the lubricant was. But Alfred was moving already, ducking his head to lick a hot stripe along his crack, and Arthur nearly collapsed in the process. 

He had never done this before. With anyone. He didn't know why suddenly he had such a strong, ardent desire to do it now, but he didn't want to stop. Arthur's high pitched gasps made him think he shouldn't either. He pressed his tongue against him, feeling it catch to his skin as he gave an experimental suck. Arthur clawed at his bedding and bucked back against his face, and Alfred found he really liked that.  _ A lot _ . 

His grip on Arthur's hips slipped a little, his cock rock hard and aching as it stood at attention. He had to force himself away, knowing he could probably do this all night-- torturing him with his tongue, breathing him in as he forced him to the edge. But he wasn't getting any younger, and he didn't want to come before he'd gotten to feel what it was like to be deep inside Arthur. 

When Alfred finally pulled back to line himself up and thrust inside, the man beneath him immediately tightened around him, and Alfred had a feeling he wasn't going to last long at all. The heady scent of sweat and sex filled the room, a heavy, luxurious cloud over his senses as he began to mindlessly rock his hips into Arthur's heat. Neither of them could hold themselves up properly, much too lost in their pleasure. Arthur's cries were muffled slightly by the sheets as Alfred bent over him, digging his hands into the pillow on either side of Arthur's head for purchase. He pounded into him like his life depended on it, half snarling, half groaning as he brought them both to their peak. 

Arthur tipped first, spilling onto his bedding with a soft swear. Alfred didn't take long to follow, and as he felt himself faltering in his rhythm, he struggled to keep himself up long enough to come, filling the body beneath him with what seemed to be an endless stream. Finally done, he rolled over onto his side, inevitably pulling Arthur with him, who made no move to protest and was just as boneless and weak as he was.

Alfred hadn't had an orgasm like that in ages.  

"Holy fuck that was amazing..." he panted, eyes fixed on the ceiling. "... but god, I'm getting  _ old _ ." 

There was a moment of quiet, afterglow falling like a blanket over them, before Arthur elbowed him halfheartedly. "I don't want to hear that from  _ you _ ." 

"You're only five years older than m-- ow! Okay I get it--" Alfred started to laugh, feeling helplessly in love with the man next to him. 

It was quiet again, and eventually Alfred moved them so they were spooning more properly. It felt a little gross, having forgotten how awesome but also how messy sex could be. But with Arthur warm and delightful in his arms, he found he didn't care. He'd forgotten about that part too. 

"I meant what I said, you know," he said, voice falling to a whisper again now that the stillness of the apartment settled around them. 

"Mm?" Arthur replied sleepily. 

Alfred pressed a kiss to the nape of his neck. "I love you, Arthur." 

His heart beat plainly against the other man's back as he waited for a response. Not that he was going to demand one, they'd only been dating a handful of months. He felt braver, strong enough to say the words again. 

"I love you too, Alfred... And Maddie." 

Alfred closed his eyes as his sweaty arms tightened around Arthur. "Babe..." 

"Tomorrow, I'll fix you both breakfast. And we'll go and retrieve your car..." 

"...And we'll have more awesome sex so I can start building up my stamina again, right?" 

Arthur laughed softly, tiredly. "And here I thought you were so mature... One shag and you're ridiculous." 

"I love you." 

"Sleep, you fool." 

\--

The next morning, Madeline awoke first, and after scouring the unfamiliar place, she found herself knocking on Arthur's bedroom door. Alfred was passed out, snoring like some wild beast. Arthur had woken up as well, torn between kissing the idiot awake or smothering him with his pillow. But once he heard the door, he quickly pulled on the nearest article of clothing and yanked the covers up over Alfred's (gloriously) naked body before he got up to answer the door.

Madeline peeked inside. "Mr. Kirkland...?" 

"Yes, Maddie, good morning," he greeted her softly, ruffling her mussed curls. The dear thing looked absolutely precious, still drowsy, but eyes brightening when she saw him. 

"Is daddy in here with you?" 

"Ah, he's..." Arthur had the decency to blush as he gently guided her back out of the room and closed the door. "He's still sleeping, darling." 

A knowing look seemed to cross the girl's face, and she giggled. "Daddy always sleeps in very long! He snores like a dragon! Like in the stories!" 

"...That he does," Arthur agreed dryly, smile touching his lips fondly. But he looked back down at Madeline, seeing so much of Alfred in her in that moment, he couldn't help but care for her all the more.

Arthur had meant it. He loved Alfred, dearly, and he loved his little girl. And Alfred wanted them to be a family. For someone like him, it seemed like a dream he never wished to wake from. Who could have known that his life could have turned around this way?

"Are you hungry? Shall we make breakfast before your daddy wakes up?" 

"Yes please!" the girl chirped, before taking hold of his fingers and walking happily with him to the kitchen to start the day. 


End file.
